Admiral James Stockdale, 1992

By M.J. Stephey

While Ross Perot amused crowds with his snarky comments, his running mate, Vietnam War hero Admiral James Stockdale, struggled to transform himself into a public figure. The famously self-deprecating Stockdale opened the vice-presidential debate in 1992 by asking, "Who am I? Why am I here?" The line, meant to poke fun at his lack of political experience, left viewers simply wondering whether he knew the answer to either question.